I know that a lot of people are actually unreasonably afraid of being in front of crowds. It's a pretty common thing. Same goes for being outgoing and bold, in terms of everyday interactions; a lot of people shy away from things like that, for fear of embarrassment or negative reactions from the other party. When I tell people not to be so afraid, they say "It's not that easy. Not everyone is like you." (Read that in a whiny, high-pitched, mocking voice.)
So, I'mma address that, right quick.
I'm really not all that bold; I'm pretty quiet and introverted. I like getting lost in thought, and avoiding pretty girls' eye-contact, and just keeping to myself, in general. "THAT'S A BOLD-FACED LIE," you say. You're always so loud and talkative and outgoing and blahblahblah." (I've stopped listening to you, at this point.) You're right. I am, quite often, like that. But, that's only because I'm completely going against my nature. It's what I do. And, honestly, it's probably easier than being quiet, all the time.
I'm a performer. Public speaking, spotlight, being in front of crowds, that's all a part of the gig; I literally can't afford to be afraid of crowds. Like, it actually would come out of my pocket. It's not that I'm particularly bold, I just choose to be. I consciously decide "Hey, let's go not be nervous as Hell in front of this crowd of strangers" because it's what I do. I basically make a living off of stepping out of my comfort zone, for the amusement and entertainment of the general public.
And it's fricking terrifying.
But as terrifying as it is, I think it'd be a much suckier feeling if I had all the abilities that I do have, and never shared them with the world. That's the same reason that I try to push every shy yet talented person I meet to go public with their gifts. There are too many loud people with no talent getting shine, you guys.
So, here's what you do:
1. Remember that people are only people. When you strip away man-made titles, nice clothes, prejudices, biases, likes, dislikes, skills, and all that junk, no one of us is any intrinsically better than any other. So, when you stand in front of a crowd, remember that they need oxygen to breathe, just like you do. Don't picture them in their underwear, just picture them as all being on the same level as you. Unless you happen to be in your underwear. In which case, I'd say you're wasting your time reading this post.
2. Don't look at the crowd the entire time. If you're having trouble with #1, you can totally just avoid looking at the crowd, in the first place. Look about 6 inches over their heads. Bang. What crowd ? That's wall. Problem solved.
3. Look for people who are feeling your performance. When you're feeling bold enough to stop performing to that very attractive collection of bricks above the crowd's heads, scan for people who are getting into your act. Find a few of them, if you can, and perform to those people. Their positive reinforcement will make you feel more confident, and you'll perform better, which will draw more people in. It's a cycle.
4. THE CROWD IS NOT OUT TO GET YOU. The crowd paid money to see performers. They expect to like the performers. They want to be on your side. Now, granted, if there were a lot of sucky acts before you, you might have to let them warm up to you a bit, but most of them didn't buy tickets and give up their spare time to be dissatisfied and heckle random strangers. The crowd might be tough, at first, but, if you're good at what you're doing, the crowd is your friend. This is actually probably the most important point. I should've made it first. Oh well, sucks for anyone who got bored & stopped reading. *shrug*
This point is actually pretty much true for a lot of day-to-day interactions, too; life is easier when you don't assume that everyone you come in contact with is judging you harshly in their minds. That's paranoid, and pretty damn vain, lool.
Anyways, that's how I deal with it. Try it if you like.
Or, you know, continue singing quietly and then stopping every time someone enters the same room.
Your choice, really.
Peace In, Peace Out.
